Narbonne's Richardson makes verbal commitment to Cal

Cal proved to be a perfect fit for Narbonne receiver A.J. Richardson, who announced Thursday night he was making a verbal commitment to the Golden Bears.

Richardson took a visit to Berkeley in June. He has an uncle, Donald Alaman, who lives in the Bay area.

"I loved the vibe and the weather, and I know a couple of people up there, so I won't be a stranger. It felt like home," Richardson said. "I kind of fell in love with it. My family and I felt it was the best decision."

Richardson becomes the second Narbonne player to verbally commit to a Pac-12 school this summer following quarterback Troy Williams' decision to attend Washington. Paulo Lepua and Keishawn Bierria have Pac-12 offers.

Verbal commitments are non-binding, but Richardson said he does not plan on waffling.

"This is rock solid," said Richardson, a 6-foot-1, 185-pounder who had 63 catches for 947 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

Richardson received eight offers, including strong interest from Houston, Duke and San Diego State.

"We tell kids not to commit until you visit, and he really liked a lot of things up there," Narbonne offensive coordinator Tim Kaub said. "He liked their staff. It's Pac-12. It's pretty prestigious, especially for receivers. You see Geoff McArthur, and you see what DeSean Jackson has done.

"It's a good place to be a wideout."

Richardson said it was important for him to lock in his college choice before the season began, especially with Narbonne's lofty expectations after winning last year's L.A. City Section crown.

"I had always wanted to be committed before the start of the season," said Richardson, who will major in sports medicine. "It kind of takes the stress off so I can play comfortably, knowing where I am going for college."